''Koi'' ( lo, ກ້ອຍ; th, ก้อย, ) is a "salad" dish of the
Lao people
The Lao people are a Tai ethnic group native to Southeast Asia, who speak the eponymous language of the Kra–Dai languages. They are the majority ethnic group of Laos, making up 53.2% of the total population. The majority of Lao people adhere ...
living in modern-day
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist s ...
and
Isan
Northeast Thailand or Isan ( Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 prov ...
,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, consisting of
raw meat
Raw meat generally refers to any type of uncooked muscle tissue of an animal used for food. In the meat production industry, the term ‘meat’ refers specifically to mammalian flesh, while the words ‘poultry’ and ‘seafood’ are used to ...
denatured by acidity, usually from
lime juice. Common varieties include ''koi kung'' ( th, ก้อยกุ้ง), with
shrimp
Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are ref ...
as the main ingredient, and ''koi paa'' ( lo, ກ້ອຍປາ)/''koi pla'' ( th, ก้อยปลา), which consists of minced or finely chopped raw fish in spicy salad dressing.
Koi can be a source of
parasitic disease
A parasitic disease, also known as parasitosis, is an infectious disease caused by parasites. Parasites are organisms which derive sustenance from its host while causing it harm. The study of parasites and parasitic diseases is known as parasitolo ...
s. Koi made with raw fish is a popular dish in Laos and Isaan and a common source of infection with the Southeast Asian
liver fluke ''
Opisthorchis viverrini''.
Koi pla eaten in north-east
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
is made from raw fish, live
red ants, herbs and lime juice.
Koi pla is eaten soon after it is prepared, without a long period of soaking in acid juice. It is believed to be a cause of
cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer, is a type of cancer that forms in the bile ducts. Symptoms of cholangiocarcinoma may include abdominal pain, yellowish skin, weight loss, generalized itching, and fever. Light colored stool ...
via liver fluke transmission.
[
''Koi hoi'' is a dish containing raw ]snail
A snail is, in loose terms, a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class ...
meat that has been associated with human infection with parasitic flatworms or liver flukes
Liver fluke is a collective name of a polyphyletic group of parasitic trematodes under the phylum Platyhelminthes.
They are principally parasites of the liver of various mammals, including humans. Capable of moving along the blood circulation, t ...
that infect the snail. Liver fluke infection is the cause of bile duct cancer
Cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer, is a type of cancer that forms in the bile ducts. Symptoms of cholangiocarcinoma may include abdominal pain, yellowish skin, weight loss, generalized itching, and fever. Light colored stool ...
, the infection may also account for more than 50 percent of cancers diagnosed in men in this region, compared to just 10 percent globally. Liver infection is also caused by the rat lungworm ''Angiostrongylus cantonensis
''Angiostrongylus cantonensis'' is a parasitic nematode (roundworm) that causes angiostrongyliasis, the most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Basin. The nematode commonly resides in the pulmonary arteries ...
''.
See also
* Gỏi
* Lao cuisine
Lao cuisine or Laotian cuisine ( lo, ອາຫານລາວ) is the national cuisine of Laos.
The staple food of the Lao is sticky rice ( lo, ເຂົ້າໜຽວ, khao niao). Laos has the highest sticky rice consumption per-capita in ...
* ''Larb
''Larb'' ( lo, ລາບ; th, ลาบ, , , also spelled ', ', ' or ') is a type of Lao meat salad that is the national dish of Laos, along with green papaya salad and sticky rice. Larb is also eaten in other Southeast Asian countries where ...
''
* List of salads
Salad is any of a wide variety of dishes including: green salads; vegetable salads; long beans; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They often include vegetables and fruits ...
* Thai salad
Salads that are internationally known as Thai salads with a few exceptions fall into four main preparation methods. In Thai cuisine these are called ''yam, tam, lap'' and ''phla''. A few other dishes can also be regarded as being a salad.
Overv ...
* Ceviche
Ceviche () is a Peruvian dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices, most commonly lime or lemon. It is also spiced with '' ají'', chili peppers or other seasonings, and julienned red onions, salt, and cilantro are ...
References
External links
Luang Prabang Style Koi Fish Salad Recipe
Vientiane Style Koi Fish Salad Recipe
Thai cuisine
Lao cuisine
Raw fish salads
Potentially dangerous food
{{thai-cuisine-stub